Measurement Science and Engineering (MSE) Research Grant Programs

The U.S. Department of Commerce, through the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), has announced the FY2025 Measurement Science and Engineering (MSE) Research Grant Programs under Funding Opportunity Number 2025-NIST-MSE-01. This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) provides financial assistance to support a broad array of research activities across 13 grant programs within NIST. These programs aim to advance measurement science, standards, and technology to bolster U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness. The MSE Research Grant Programs fund projects under specific NIST offices and laboratories including the Associate Director for Innovation and Industry Services (ADIIS), Associate Director for Laboratory Programs (ADLP), CHIPS Research and Development Program Office (CRDO), and several NIST laboratories and offices such as the Communications Technology Laboratory, Engineering Laboratory, and Material Measurement Laboratory. The goal is to support research and partnership activities in areas such as metrology, nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, and more. Financial assistance can be provided for research projects, conferences, workshops, education, and technical meetings that align with program objectives. Eligible applicants include all non-Federal entities, such as institutions of higher education, non-profits, for-profits, state and local governments, Indian tribes, foreign public entities, and foreign governments. Individuals and unincorporated sole proprietors are not eligible. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until May 1, 2025, for funding consideration within the fiscal year. Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov, and paper submissions will not be accepted. Each program outlines specific objectives and may include unique eligibility requirements and evaluation criteria. Applications must include detailed narratives, budgets, personnel resumes, and other documentation such as data management plans and current and pending support forms. NIST has set project performance periods of up to five years and funding amounts vary significantly by program. While cost sharing is not required, awards may be competitive depending on program budgets and priorities. Evaluation criteria are tailored to each grant program but generally assess the rationality and innovation of the proposal, technical merit, capability of the applicant, and budget alignment with project scope. NIST will perform an initial screening followed by a detailed merit review by qualified reviewers. Applications selected for award may undergo further negotiations or modifications before funding is finalized. For questions, each program provides a designated contact person. General programmatic and technical inquiries are addressed in Section VII of the NOFO. Additional information, including application guidance and relevant templates, is available on the NIST and Grants.gov websites.